Carter Anderson, Author at Cass Health

Atlantic, IA – The April session of Healthy U will be presented by the Cass Health Occupational Therapy team on Thursday, April 17, at noon in Conference Room 2.

The Cass Health Occupational Therapy team of Amber Michael, ORT/L, Ashley Williams, MOT, ORT/L, and Macy Ticknor, OTD, ORT/L will focus on safety education, possible home modifications, fall prevention techniques, balance exercises, and more!

Amber Michael graduated from the College of Saint Mary in 2016 with her Masters of Occupational Therapy. Amber has experience with a wide range of adults/geriatrics with various diagnoses such as orthopedic, cardiac, neurologic impairments/disabilities.

Ashley Williams graduated from College of Saint Mary in 2009 with her Masters in Occupational Therapy and joined Cass Health’s Rehabilitation Services team immediately following. Ashley became a certified lymphedema therapist in 2014 and is currently working to complete her certification in sensory integration.

Macy Ticknor graduated from the College of Saint Mary in 2024 with an Occupational Therapy Doctorate. She is certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and licensed by the Iowa Board of Physical & Occupational Therapy.

Space is limited! A free boxed lunch is provided for all attendees, so reservations are required. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat. For more information about Healthy U, visit casshealth.org/healthyu.

The February session of Healthy U will be presented by Dr. Rick Rinehart. This session will be on Tuesday, February 25 at noon in Conference Room 2. Dr. Rinehart will be focusing on ear, nose, and throat concerns for older adults during this presentation.

Dr. Rinehart is a board-certified Otolaryngologist Head and Neck Surgeon with more than 20 years of experience. He was born and raised in Iowa and did his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University. He then completed both medical school and his residency at the University of Iowa. He served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in ENT for the University of Iowa and instructed ENT residents in Des Moines for over a decade. In 2013 Des Moines Magazine presented him with the “Best Doc” award in his field as voted by his ENT peers. Dr. Rinehart provides clinical care in the Cass Health Surgery Clinic and performs surgeries locally as well.

ATLANTIC – Cass Health and its affiliate organizations have released their scholarship applications for the upcoming school year.
2025 Scholarships
• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student who is enrolled or accepted into a nursing program. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student pursuing a degree in a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Auxiliary provides $1,000 scholarships for students pursuing a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Foundation offers $5,000 scholarships to a graduate from a Cass County High School with a goal of becoming a healthcare provider subject to licensure requirements in the State of Iowa, including testing to obtain certification and requires continuing education to maintain that licensure. The scholarship fund was established by a bequest from Louie and Elsie Hansen. Deadline is April 4, 2025.

Applications are available on casshealth.org/scholarships and can be turned in to Human Resources by the respective deadlines listed above. For more information, contact Kat Niemann, Human Resources Coordinator, at 712-250-8022 or nieka@casshealth.org.
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The January session of Healthy U will be presented by Cass Health’s Registered Dietitian Sarah Andersen. This session will be on Thursday, January 16 at noon in Conference Room 2.

“Many people think that understanding glucose is only important for people who have diabetes, but understanding glucose is important for everyone. Managing your glucose levels can have an incredible impact on your overall health, and we’ll talk about a number of easy strategies you can use at every meal to help you keep glucose levels from spiking,” said Andersen.

Andersen earned her Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University and completed her Iowa State Dietetic Internship in the 2018. She is a credentialed Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and is a State of Iowa Licensed Dietitian. She is a member of the Iowa Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.

The November session of Healthy U will focus on MyChart, presented by Cass Health Chief Information Officer Mitch Whiley, with other staff on hand to help with any MyChart related questions. This session will be on Thursday, November 21 at noon in Conference Room 2.

MyChart is a secure online tool that allows patients to manage their health information and communicate with their healthcare providers. During the presentation, Whiley will show patients how to navigate within MyChart to access information like visit summaries, test results, medications, and immunizations. Attendees will also learn how to access their billing summaries, how to use E-Check In, and how to manage proxy access to their MyChart account for family or caregivers.

ATLANTIC—The Cass Health Foundation is hosting their inaugural Handbag Bingo Night on Thursday, November 14 at Bluebird Hill. This new event will wrap up the Cass Health Foundation’s 2024 campaign to purchase endoscopy equipment.

Cass Health Community & Guest Relations Director Beth Spieker spoke on the anticipation of this new event saying, “This is a unique, fun ladies’ night out complete with delicious food, bingo, and great prizes including designer purses. Best of all, this final event wraps up our successful 2024 campaign, and we’re so close to our goal thanks to the generosity of our community.”

Each $50 ticket for the evening includes dinner, six bingo cards per game for all ten “regular” games throughout the night, and 5 raffle tickets for the purse raffle. Bingo game winners will earn extra raffle tickets to enter for a chance to win a purse of their choice at the end of the night. Registration begins at 5:30 pm, with dinner at 6:00 pm, and bingo to follow. Stay tuned to Cass Health on social media to see the prizes that will be featured at the event.

Tickets to the event are limited; both single tickets and table sponsorships are available. For more information, please call Beth Spieker at 712-243-7545 or visit casshealth.org/bingo to view the details or pay online.

Atlantic, IA – Every year between October 15th and December 7th, Iowans on Medicare have the opportunity to review and make changes to their drug or Medicare Advantage plan.

The Part D and Medicare Advantage plans can change their coverage, premiums, co-payments and provider networks every year. It is important that Iowans on Medicare use this time to review changes to their current plan and compare with plans available to them in 2025.

This open enrollment period will be an especially important year for Medicare beneficiaries to pay attention to changes in their current plan and compare alternative options. With the implementation of a $2,000 cap on prescription drug copayments in 2025, it is anticipated that there will be significant changes to plan premiums, deductibles and formularies. Resources are available through the Iowa Insurance Division to compare plans and make an informed decision.

The Senior Health Insurance Information (SHIIP) program is a free, confidential and unbiased service offered by the State of Iowa. SHIIP volunteers provide one-on-one insurance counseling and assistance at no cost to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers. SHIIP also provides community outreach and education on Medicare financial assistance eligibility. SHIIP services are sponsored locally by Cass Health.

“The SHIIP program has a great track record for saving Iowans money and helping them with Medicare questions and problems. In 2023, the program served more than 40,000 Medicare beneficiaries and saved clients in Iowa millions of dollars,” shared Kristin Griffith, the SHIIP-SMP Director.

For SHIIP assistance locally, call Cass Health Community & Guest Relations Director Beth Spieker at 712-243-7545.

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Atlantic, IA – The October session of Healthy U will focus on cardiology care presented by Kristin Babb, PA-C. This session will be on Thursday, October 17 at noon in Conference Room 2. Babb will discuss cardiology topics common amongst older adults such as blood thinners, heart disease, and available treatments.

Babb provides care in the Cass Health Specialty Clinic. She is board certified through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is licensed by both Arizona and Iowa. She received her Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from A.T. Still University, AZ School of Health Sciences in Mesa, Arizona in 2006. She has worked in cardiology for more than 16 years, and she has previous experience in emergency medicine as well.

Atlantic, IA – The August session of Healthy U will focus on planning for the future, presented by Cass Health Care Coordinators Megan Bierbaum, LMSW and Tiara Zemanek. The session will be on Thursday, August 15 at noon in Conference Room 2.

The Care Coordination team will touch on topics common amongst older adults as they plan for their futures, such as home health services, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, Power of Attorney, living wills, and outlining the Iowa Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment. This session’s goal is to equip older adults with this important information, so they can make decisions that are best for their health, their family, and their future.

Atlantic, Iowa – The Cass Health Med Spa is hosting an open house on Thursday, August 8 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Visitors will be treated to Med Spa tours, exclusive discounts, raffle drawings, and refreshments.

Dermatology provider Lace Sindt, ARNP provides care at the Med Spa and will be on hand to answer questions and showcase the newly renovated space. Lace has worked in aesthetic dermatology since 2009, including the management of two medical spas. Maddy Peppers, RN and Brenna Irlmeier, RN will be doing live demonstrations of the SkinPen and VI Peel treatments.

The Med Spa offers services such as Botox, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and facial resurfacing treatments. The Med Spa also carries a wide range of medical grade skin care products from Skin Medica and EltaMD. For patients interested in the treatments and services, the Med Spa offers free consultations.

The Med Spa is open the second and fourth Thursday of each month, and appointments are required. Appointments can be made anytime online through the patient portal found at casshealth.org/medspa or by calling 712-243-7500.

The public is invited and welcome to attend; all attendees are asked to enter through the Main Entrance, and either take the main staircase or elevator to the second floor to access the Med Spa.